Outline of the Rotary Foundation
November 1, 2017
Mr. Masato Mizuno
Chairman, Rotary Foundation Committee,
RID2580
Let me share the general outline of the Rotary Foundation today. Among numerous service organizations in the world, Rotary is unique with its primary focus on vocational service. Paul Harris upheld the principles of morality, ethics and integrity to underlie vocational service and encouraged us to work in good faith. The Rotary Foundation was established a century ago in 1917 by the then RI President Arch Klumph “for the purpose of doing good in the world”. The Rotary Ambassadorial Scholarship was launched as its first service program.
Rotarians engage in two types of service activities. One is to contribute one’s time and energy to different activities, and the other is making financial contributions to various initiatives. The Rotary Foundation works to ensure its 27-billion-yen fund is used for good causes to create maximum impact. Each one of the 1.2 million Rotarians around the world donates on average 16,000 yen to the Rotary Foundation (totals 20 billion yen) plus Mr. Bill Gates’s donation of 7 billion yen towards Polio eradication, making its total 3 times the budget of RI (9-10 billion yen). I am sure these figures prove that the Rotary Foundation plays an instrumental role in driving forward different service activities of Rotary.
The Foundation’s service programs can be classified into three initiatives. One is Polio Plus, implemented in collaboration with the World Health Organization, to eradicate Polio by providing financial resources to accelerate targeted vaccination campaigns to babies in economically marginalized countries. Peace Fellowship is the second initiative, implemented in 7 universities worldwide where 100 fellows selected by the Foundation each year pursue their academic career path. Grant programs constitute the third initiative. In our District 2580, we allocate in total 20 million yen to District Grants and Global Grants programs. By utilizing the Global Grants, we have implemented the Tohoku Sukusuku Project as well as funded scholarships for graduate students who major in one of the following six areas of focus: Peace and conflict prevention/resolution; Disease prevention and treatment; Water and sanitation; Maternal and child health; Basic education and literacy; Economic and community development.
Governor Kamiyama of the previous RY 2016-2017 aimed to raise 23,000 yen of donation from each Rotarian and succeeded in raising 32,000 yen above the targeted amount, thanks to your generosity and understanding. Governor Yoshida of this RY aims to raise 26,000 yen of donation, so let me ask for your continued support.
I must say the Rotary Foundation has a complex organizational structure, even after taking measures for streamlining. But our highly capable member Rotarian Mr. Tsuno serves as Vice-Chair of the District Rotary Foundation Committee and he is ready to answer whatever questions, so please feel free to contact him. Let me close my speech by asking for your further cooperation and support. Thank you.